Contagious
by aaahtnamas
Summary: Fang starts flirting and seems to have a new girlfriend every week. Max gets jealous and dates for pay-back. Little does she know the guy she choses has a horrible secret. Rated T... Just in case.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I am no James Patterson. Hell, I'm not even a guy! This is my first Maximum Ride fanfic I got the idea from a song. It's called Contagious and it is by Trapt. If you haven't already, check it out!**_

_**Enjoy… and review. Can you hear that little green box screaming your name? I can :)**_

_**- Sammi**_

_**--**_

**Chapter one**

**Max POV**

What the _hell_ was he thinking? I mean really; going over to her like _that_. She did not need a guy right now. Especially not my guy. She needed a slap and kick in the butt. Yet, even after that I would not be satisfied.

_Chill, Max, _Angel thought at me. _You are giving me a headache!_

_Get out of my head then._ I thought/snapped back.

_I would if you were not almost yelling._

"I hate when you have conversations with your mind," Nudge complained. "I miss out on all the gossip!"

We were at the day and night school, thanks to Nudge's constant pestering. She assured us all that it was completely safe here; as did my mom, Jeb and Ella. And I can't exactly say 'no' to them when they all gang up on me like that.

We had been attending here for a month now. Everything had been going rather smoothly, though it did not stop us from being on edge. When I say 'we' I mean Fang and I.

_Fang_.

He was utterly annoying me right now. Flirting with every moving female body. Except me. Not that I minded, of course. Why would I care? I don't care.

_Of course you care, Max. You love him. And he loves you._

I growled. _Get out of my head Angel. And it certainly does __**not**__ look like he loves me right now, does it?_

"Mmmaaaxxx!" Nudge wailed. "You are doing it again!"

"I mean look at him! Him and his tanned skin and perfect hair and eyes and…"

"You're right, Angel, I didn't want to know." Nudge said nodding.

I groaned and sat at the first empty table, practically throwing my recently acquired food onto the table; I had suddenly lost my appetite.

I thought he was coming over here. It looked like it at least. He walked in our direction for a bit, then took a sharp left, not even glancing at us. Yep, definitely not hungry. And there was that _girl_ –if she could be called that, a few other words popped into my head, I hoped Angel wasn't reading my thoughts at that moment. With long bleach blonde hair (undeniably fake, might I add) and bright blue eyes, she was a bimbo. Not doubt about it.

_I'm blonde hair and blue eyed._ Angel thought irritably.

"It's different for you Angel." I answered automatically.

"You're not trying to steal Fang." Nudge finished, sipping her smoothie coolly.

The girl flicked her hair back, laughed loudly and –dare I say it – gripped Fang's forearm. It must have shown on my face as Nudge, Iggy, Gazzy and Angel all watched me intently.

"I'm fine," I whispered, waving my arms in a calming motion and exhaling deeply, making Nudge giggle.

"I think we should name her," Angel said suddenly.

I would have choked if I had been eating. "What?"

"Well, we don't know her name. You just keep calling her girl."

"I _would_ call her something else…" I muttered.

"Let's call her Melanie." Nudge grinned.

"_Melanie?"_

"I like that name," she shrugged.

"Maybe we should call her Bit-

"Melanie it is," Ig interrupted me, scowling. It was amazing how good he was at that considering he was blind.

"I was going to say Brittany!" I argued. No way were the flock (minus one) going to fall for that.

"Max, don't look back." Nudge said suddenly.

"What? Why?" I looked back and my jaw dropped.

"I told you _not_ to look back! Is it opposite day or something?"

Fang. Our Fang. _My_ Fang. Was there with her. _Kissing_ her. He was dead. So dead.

The bell rang. If anyone was grateful for lunch to be over, it would be Fang. If it had lasted any longer I would be peeling them apart and murdering them both – Fang and _Melanie­ – _in a second. We both, unfortunately, had Spanish next. I walked slowly down the corridor, alone might I add, and stopped outside my room.

"Hey Max," a boy in my year smiled. He was tall, tanned and had scruffy dirty blonde hair.

"Hey Oliver," I replied unenthusiastically.

"Bad day?" He asked, slumping against the wall beside me.

Fang walked past. Now holding hands with _Melanie_. Did he even know I was here? He should have done, we had been in the same class since we started. I scoffed and turned to Oliver. He was sweet and had a total crush on me. There was no doubt about that. He made it so obvious. He also announced to our home room that he was in love with me. It was cute.

"Been better," I agreed as we entered the room. _Melanie_ took her usual seat in front; I walked towards my regular seat at the back of room at a desk I normally shared with Fang.

"Oliver?" I asked, turning to the blonde. "Sit with me?"

He looked stunned. I thought he was actually going to say 'no'.

"Sure," he breathed, taking the vacant seat beside me.

Fang did not look happy. The only other spare seat was the one Oliver sat in; by the window on the other side of the classroom where the sun spilled in through the window causing the seats occupier to sweat uncontrollably. Oliver had gotten used to the heat yet always moved at every chance. Such a _shame_ the class was full today. A shame for Fang that is. If that was how he wanted to play then Fang; _Bring it on._


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Hey guys! Guess what? Chapter Two - yay! Thank you all for being so patient with me! I understand I am not the quickest person when it comes to uploading, but I hope you all enjoy this one! All reviews are welcome and highly appreciated! Thank you for sticking in there with me!**_

_**- S  
**_

**Chapter Two**

**Fang's POV**

Max looked mad. No, actually, she possibly looked worse than that. She avoided my gaze for the rest of the school day. And later on that night when we had returned home. I mean, I don't know what her problem was. It wasn't as if she had never seen me kiss a girl before. And I'm not a kid; I'm not one of the younger members of the flock. I'm am sixteen! And so is she. I bet she didn't mention _that_ did she?

I sat in one of the many rooms in the huge house we had come to acquire (thanks to Dr Martinez) and was sat, slothfully on the couch, the remote control in one hand and a bag of potato chips in the other. I was blissfully flicking through the channel when the first door slammed. I had happily landed on a program when the second door slammed. I was half way across the room when the third and final door slammed.

It was Max. Naturally. Neither Nudge nor Angel or even Ella could slam a door that hard. One of the guys probably could have but it was the mannerism that told that it was a female who acted out the door slamming technique. Max glared at me before storming into her room. It was a glare that was not meant for the faint of heart.

I sighed and propped the laptop onto my lap after returning to the comfort of the sofa. Looking at my blog, I realised I had thirty-two new comments. _Not bad_. I thought to myself. Some of the comments where from the usual fan-girls, others from so guys that now though of me as 'holy' and one from my _girlfriend_ – I shuddered at the thought – telling me I was the best _boyfriend_ in the world. I am not kidding though; the only person I actually wanted to date was Max. Yet she had made it clear that it was _not_ going to happen.

**Max's POV**

Was Fang an idiot or something? Don't answer that; I think we all know the outcome. He just sat there as if nothing had happened, as if he had done nothing wrong. Men! He gets on my very last nerve. But I still love him. There, I said it okay? Jeez you people are never happy. And why do I not have a cell phone!

"Max!"

A sharp voice came from beneath my large window – large enough to jump out of – followed by a soft tap. It sounded like… like…_pebbles?_

"Max! Get your ass down here!"

I walked to the window and threw it wide open. Nobody bosses me around. It was Oliver. What the hell was he doing here?

"What do you want, Oliver?" I ask simply.

He beamed back up at me, a mischievous glint in his boyish blue eyes. "Want to go out for a bit?"

I was taken aback. "Like… on a date?" I stammered.

"Only if you want it to be."

I thought for a moment. Did I want it to be? I had just admitted to myself that I loved Fang; yet, something about Oliver made me want to understand him more. And he was a nice guy. I smiled deviously to myself. Perfect.

"Sure." I climbed down the plant that crawled up the house. I could have jumped, spread my wings and glided down to him, but where is the fun in that? And I didn't want to scare him off. Especially if my plan was going to work.

*

"I had a really great time tonight, Oliver," I muttered in my most flirtatious voice. "We should do this again sometime."

"Tomorrow?" Oliver asked, a little too eagerly.

"She is busy tomorrow." A sharp growl came from the shadows of the doorway. "And the day after that. And the day after that. In fact, she is busy for the rest of her life."

"Tomorrow would be great," I replied quickly. "Same time?"

Oliver nodded, obviously a little confused, and began to walk away. I headed for the door, a scowl on my face.

"Max! Wait as sec," Oliver called coming up from behind me. "I forgot something."

"What?"

And that's when he did it. It was nothing like Fangs; not passionately gentle, but more fierce and lusting. I preferred Fang's kisses. This was rather sloppy.

"That," he grinned boyishly.

"Piss off, dude, seriously." The dame voice demanded.

I hit him hard across the face. I heard something crack, but I wasn't sure if it was my knuckles or Fang's face. Either way; it did what was intended.

"House. Now." I growled at him, pushing myself ahead and marching into the hall.

"What the _hell_ were you thinking?!" I screamed at Fang as soon as he entered. I needed answers and I needed them now.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Hey all the dedicated readers out there! I haven't abandoned you - yay! I have just got back off holiday and my best friend was over for a few days and then my computer was mucked up and aye-aye-aye. But here it is! **_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**-Sammi  
**_

**Chapter Three**

**Fang's POV**

_What the hell was I thinking?_ Good freakin' question. Honestly, I didn't know. But just seeing Max like that… out there… with _him. _There was a burn in my throat from when I tried to say his name. And a sore freakin' face from where Max hit me. It was stinging.

"Ow!" I exclaimed. After doing so, I instantly regretted letting my pain show. Max was dabbing my eye with some anti-swell ointment and enjoying the expression of discomfort on my face. Not that she minded. For her, this was obviously a well deserved pay-back.

"It's your own fault, Fang." Max sighed.

_She has a point. _ Angel thought at me.

Great! I now had three girls against me. I didn't mean to be so unpleasant to that Oliver, _dude. _Well, okay, maybe I did, but with good reason! He _kissed_ Max. Does nobody get what sort of situation that puts me in? Puts the Flock in?

Max looked strangely pleased with herself. It was almost as if she actually enjoyed hitting me. I mean, yes, I supposed she had done so before, but still. Besides, she was not exactly _chuffed_ with my choice in girls. It is only fair I don't like her choice in guys. After all, I had been right before.

I grimaced again in pain as Max dabbed the last of the _ointment –_ more like burning acid, I wouldn't put it past her – onto my face.

"All done, baby," she smiled sweetly. My heart melted like chocolate on a hot summer's day. "I meant that in the childish sense, not the – whatever…" Max mumbled as she flushed.

I knew what she had meant, and normally would have come out with some witty come-back, but thought best of it. One black eye was enough, thank-you-very-much. I did not want to muck up my undeniably good looks completely. Michelle would never look at me again. _Leanne, however…_ I thought to myself.

_Two girls, Fang?_ Angel thought to me, shocked. _Are you trying to **break** Max's heart or something? _

She stormed from the room, her blond hair whipping wildly around her face. Ange had grown up so very much.

"What did you do?" Max asked accusingly.

"What makes you think _I _ did anything?" I snapped back, a little meaner than I meant.

"Whatever, Fang," Max said, shaking her head and following Angel from the room.

It meant I was left alone in the kitchen. Left alone to ponder my thoughts. How I hated to be left alone with them. Not thinking about my actions made it so much easier for me to follow through with them.

**Max's POV**

"Angel, what's up?" I was sitting on the floor outside one of the four bathrooms in this massive house. We need a lot of bathrooms with 6 bird freaks and three humans living in one space! Anyhow. Angel had locked and barricaded (with what? I don't have a clue) the door and had been in there in over an hour. She had rushed away after the _incident _– I say incident because I don't actually know what it was – but I knew to find her here. It was her favourite bathroom. I don't know how one can have a favourite place in which to pee, but hey-ho.

"Noth-_hic-_ing," Angel weak reply came from the other side of the door.

"Angel, I am many things, but an idiot is not one of them." I laughed at my own joke. I couldn't help it.

"It's nothing, Max, really. Just… y'know?"

Honestly, I had no clue. But it had a while since Angel had been in there and I had to get her out _somehow._ Not only that, but she needed to eat and be well rested for tomorrow; for another joyful day of school. So I lied. "Of course, honey. Now come on out. Dinner's ready."

The sound of large and rather heavy objects scraping along the floor and the _click_ that indicated the unlocking of the door alerted the fact I had won her over. Her eyes were blotchy and red, her hair slightly messy now, but she was still my Angel. I gave her a one arm hug and led her to the kitchen.

*

The atmosphere at our usual table was, well, awkward. We had another member today and it made us all nervous and on our guard. All except Fang, who invited her over. Yeah, you got it; _Melanie_ had joined us for break. I should really call her _Michelle_, but Melanie sounded better. Michelle it is, I don't want to confuse anyone.

Michelle was pretty; even I had to admit that. She had deep tanned skin that was completely flawless, long platinum blonde hair that was tied back into a long, thick ponytail and electric blue eyes that flicked to each of the Flocks faces. Melanie was captain of the girl's soccer thing and had too many footballs to the head obviously. Okay, that was mean – but it seemed accurate. Why did Fang go for a girl like her? He had never been interested in anyone like that. Fang liked girls with brains, and someone he could have a meaningful conversation and the occasional argument with. Melanie seemed to agree with whatever Fang said to keep him happy. He grinned, but I knew it was a mask. Underneath he was no doubt bored and couldn't wait for the bell to go. His eyes locked onto mine and I smiled. My heart pace suddenly sped up and my mouth dried out. _Stop it, Max, you are being stupid._

"Max! Hey, Max Ride!"

The sound of my name snapped me out of my current dream-like state. I looked around and smiled when I saw Oliver's childish face grin at me from the other side of the hall. He beckoned me over and I lifted my bag.

"Sorry, guys, I am wanted elsewhere," I grinned. Fang was sitting upright and his brow dropped. He was so not happy.

"Okay! Bye, Max!" Mel – _Michelle_, said cheerily.

I grinned sceptically at her and joined Oliver. He wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed me lightly on the cheek.

"I thought it was stuffy in here and wondered if you wanted to take a walk?"

Oliver was good looking. It was easy to see, his scruffy dirty blond hair made him seem like an almost-surfer-dude. Today he wore tight black jeans that undoubtedly made him look gorgeous and a plain light blue tee. Around his neck he wore a black leather necklace with some sort of silver Asian symbol charm. Without realising, I had lifted a hand to examine it further.

"It means _freedom_," he smiled. "It was a gift."

"It's nice," I mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

"You like it?"

I nodded. Oliver took his arm away from around my waist. I was fully aware now that I actually _enjoyed _haven't it there; it didn't seem foreign. Yet at the same time I was guilty – I had been pretending that it was Fang. My hair was lifted from of my neck. I tensed, ready to let loose my wings if need be, but it was then resting on my shoulders once more. An added weight was added to round my neck. _His necklace_.

"It's yours." He smiled.

"Oliver, I can't take this," I shook my head and lifted my hands to remove it. He grabbed both of them and laced his fingers through mine.

"I want you to have it."


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: So it's been a while! Did you know this has been on my computer for around... three months now? Oops! My friend has been threatening to eat me if I didn't upload, but here it finally is. Not very long; but here nonetheless. Hope it was worth the wait!_**

**_-Sammi_**

**Chapter Four**

**Fang's POV**

Did he _seriously _want to get turned to mush? I had quite had enough of this Oliver guy. Taking Max away from the table; away from the Flock? It was almost as bad a committing suicide. But that fact that Max agreed to go with him? What was _she _thinking?!

Hold up.

What. The. Hell. Was. He. Doing? I tensed.

"Fang, baby, what's up?" Michelle asked as she squeezed my upper arm. She was seriously getting on my nerves.

"Don't call me that," I growled. Oliver was standing behind Max after removing his arm from around her waist. It was a sickening sight, honestly. And then those stupid girls had to go and stand in the way!

"Come on," I said, standing. It wasn't an invitation, hell, it wasn't even polite. But I knew she would agree. "We are going for a walk."

Michelle leapt up happily and tried to take my hand. I shoved both into my pockets so she hung onto my arm instead. Honestly, she was dragging me down. It is not comfortable to have a sixteen year old girl cling onto you for _dear life_ whilst in school.

We walked a few paces along, so I could get a good view of Max and Oliver. I was in plain sight, Michelle (who luckily had no brains in her so she had no clue I was doing this purely for Max) cuddled into my side.

"Don't you have anything to tell me, Fang?" She hinted, though I was only half listening. "Or _ask _me?"

_Crap._ Prom. I had totally forgotten about that. My reply however was cut short as Max tilted her face back and kissed Oliver full on the lips.

"_No!"_ I gasped/shouted.

"What? You… you don't want to go to prom with _me?_" Michelle sobbed.

Ah crap. I had done it now.

"No, Michelle, I don't. I don't love you. I don't even particularly _like_ you." I half yelled. Who cares if I had an audience? I glanced over to Max to she if she was catching any of this. Nope. Her lips seemed to be glued to Oliver's. I raised my voice a little louder. "You are pathetic! Always clinging on me for dear life; we are in _school_ for God sakes! Nothing bad is going to happen. You are impossible to hold a conversation with and you don't understand anything unless it is a joke. No, wait; you don't even understand jokes sometimes." I was being cruel. Michelle was crying. Max, well, Max was now leaving the cafeteria with her _boyfriend. _I had reduced a pleasant girl to tears and the majority of the schools eyes were on me. The Flock (minus one) looked so disappointed and it tore into me. What they thought was the most important thing to me and right now, whatever they thought was not good. It was bad. Really, really, _really _bad.

**Max's POV**

Yes, I could hear Fang screaming at that girl. No, she hadn't really done anything wrong, but yes; I totally enjoyed that. At last, Fang was acting like Fang.

_Max, where are you? Fang has lost his marbles._ Angel thought at me.

_Out. _I replied simply.

_Out where?_

_Out._

The least she knew the better, less complex version. Angel could ask as many questions as she liked; she would never know where I was when I skipped class.

_You're skipping class?!_

Ah crap.

*

"Thank God you are okay, Max," Nudge screamed as I squeezed through the door at whatever-the-hell time it was. "I have been sitting here for _hours_, and this time I am not exaggerating. Iggy and Gazzy have been making some kind of new explosive in the garage and we have heard a few loud blasts earlier but they refuse to come out, even after the we smelt the smoke; Total's being a pain in the butt rejecting everything and anything we give him; Fang hasn't said a word to us all day but has been on the phone twice and stolen the laptop so I haven't been able to do my homework and… and… oh Max!"

My throat was dry and my wide-eyed expression showed that I was regretting that I had been away for so long. Nudge threw her arms around me once finished and exhaled deeply. The house was in a state and Fang… _Fang… _I was supposed to be able to trust him to look after the Flock when I wasn't there – not go in a strop. Typical boy; yes. Fang; no, definitely not.

"Uh, Nudge?" I choked. "I can't breathe."

"Oh sorry!" She giggled stepping back from me.

"Don't worry, I will get this all sorted out." _And kick the Royal Pains butt in my stance._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five.**

**Max's POV**

"Max, please don't act like this," he pleaded as he followed me up the stairs. Did he honestly think he could get away with this? In a way, he already had; I hadn't broken his nose… yet.

"Act like what, Fang?" I spat. "I think I am acting fairly reasonable after what _you_ did."

"After what I…" he began, "Max, I told you; the fact that you were there was by mere _chance._ Completely unintentional," Fang protested.

"That is the biggest load of rubbish I have ever heard, Fang. You knew I was going to be there and the last time I checked, you were _supposed_ to be looking after the Flock!" my voice was now an octave higher, and much louder than before. I should have tried to keep my voice down as the others were sleeping. Or so I thought.

"We don't _need_ to be looked after," Angels annoyed voice protested down the hall. "We are perfectly capable of looking after ourselves- Ouch! Gazzy! Careful where you put that thing! You weren't supposed to take it from the fireplace, Max _told_ you this…"

There was another bang and a shout from Angel, followed by footsteps as they chased each other up the stairs.

"Clearly," I muttered to Angel's statement. I sighed and turned back to Fang. It was then that it hit me, I think.

"Oh my God," I muttered. "It makes so much more sense now!"

Fang gave me a half puzzled, half terrified look. "What makes sense?" he asked. "What have you figured out?"

"You're _jealous_!" I replied with triumph. "That's why you followed me and Oliver."

His smile faded. Result.

**Fang's POV **

"What?" I scoffed. "Me? Jealous of… jealous of _him_?"

"Well, yeah," Max replied, no longer as sure of her accusation.

"There are many things that I am, Maximum Ride, but jealous is not one of them." She'd caught me out. She was right, as always. When she accuses me again, I won't deny it. I'll walk up to her and…

"Right," she laughed nervously. "That's stupid of me Fang. I'm sorry. Of course you wouldn't get jealous."

Wait, what? Max was giving me a genuine apology; she believed me. Why did she believe me? I should tell her; I should go over there and make sure she doesn't believe me.

"Exactly," I nodded. I turned away from her and headed for the stairs, letting her assume that she was wrong… but she was right on so many levels.

*

I sat on the stairs, not even making it to my bedroom. My laptop was up there. My dreams were up there. But I couldn't make it. The events that had just occurred were imprinted in my mind and replaying at twice the speed, over and over. I banged my head against the wall, angry at myself, and my stupidity.

"What cha doing?" Nudge asked, grinning.

"Nudge, go to bed," I mumbled.

"You can't tell me what to do, I'm old enough to take care of myself now, Fang. And I don't need to be-"

A sharp glance from me shut her up; for once. The silence was heavenly as she slumped up stairs. I heard Max come into the hall. I couldn't face her yet. Not now. I would have to wait for morning.


End file.
